Photograph by Ready Set Jet Set
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Not only was this my first time to a real Christmas Market in Germany but also my first time to Germany! This December, Haley of Ready Set Jet Set and I went to Germany for a winter wonderland adventure through Thuringia (Thüringen). We flew into Frankfurt and took the train to Weimar to explore the Christmas Markets and took a day trip to Leuchtenburg Castle. We then drove to Ilmenau to visit the Thuringian Forest – all the snow was breathtaking (Instagram post here). Our trip ended with 2 days in Erfurt eating our way through their Christmas Markets and a day trip to Friedenstein Castle in Gotha.
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Erfurt alone has 17 Christmas Markets with one of the 3 top Christmas Markets in the world, the Erfurt Christmas Market (Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt). Over 2 million people visited Erfurter Weihnachtsmarkt this year – the market is 160 years old that started in 1840 and has 200 booths. Erfurt Christmas Market is open from the end of November to end of December. Here’s everything that we ate at the Christmas Markets in Germany!
Photograph by Ready Set Jet Set
1. THURINGIAN SAUSAGE
The number one thing you have to eat at the Christmas Markets, especially if you’re in Thuringia are the Thuringian sausages. The Germans eat them year-round – at the Christmas markets and grill them during the summer! Just remember – only mustard, no ketchup. I had the XXL (pictured above) 2 days in a row.
Price: €5
2. CHOCOLATE COVERED FRUIT SKEWERS
Chocolate covered fruit doesn’t sound very German but these are popular during the Christmas Market season. There’s your typical strawberries, blueberries, but also chili peppers and gooseberries.
Price: €3 – €5
3. BAUMSTRIEZEL
Kürtőskalács (also known as chimney cake) caught my eye at our first Christmas Market in Weimar and I had to eat it. It’s a Hungarian pastry that’s baked over the fire and then coated with cinnamon sugar.
4. KNOBLAUCHBROT
I recognized the smell of garlic bread in the Christmas Market almost immediately and was drawn to the stall. Knoblauchbrot is German garlic bread that’s pan fried in butter (a lot of butter) and then smeared with a generous topping of sour cream. You can then top it with fried onions, corn, spicy chili sauce, and olives. It’s the best thing I ate in 30-degree weather – hot and warm with a slightly chewy texture and then crispy and buttery on the outside.
Price: €4,5
5. SCHAUMKUSS
I call these German chocolate bonbons – it has a marshmallow/meringue center that’s coated with chocolate. Comes in different flavors like vanilla, coffee, rum, stracciatella, and more. They’re pretty sweet so I only had one.
Price: €0,70
Photograph by Ready Set Jet Set
6. STOLLEN
You have to have stollen at the German Christmas Markets or at least buy it and put it in your luggage to eat when you get home. It’s a dense, fruit Christmas cake that can be savory (with olives) or sweet (dried fruit and nuts). The most common flavor is with raisins and walnuts.
Price: €9
7. THURINGIAN RACLETTE
If you smell something stinky at the Christmas Market, it’s probably raclette. Thuringian raclette comes with brotchen (the bun), slices of schinken (cured ham), melted käse (raclette), pickles, and fried onions.
8. LÁNGOS
While Lángos isn’t German, the locals assured me that it’s a must eat at the German Christmas Markets. Lángos is a Hungarian food specialty that’s deep fried and then smeared with sour cream and shredded cheese or chopped ham. It’s like a savory funnel cake!
9. CURRYWURST
Currywurst is another popular street food in Germany – it’s steamed, fried sausages that are cut up and then coated with a curry ketchup with an extra sprinkle of curry.
10. PRETZEL
You have to eat a pretzel in Germany! We had both regular pretzels and also a cheesy pretzel (my favorite).
Price: €2
Photograph by Ready Set Jet Set
11. ICE CREAM WITH APPLESAUCE
The first day I saw ice cream with applesauce on the menu, I thought, “Oh, that’s weird,” and asked for ice cream without the applesauce. The second day I saw ice cream with applesauce again on the menu so I had to try it. It’s not terrible but I think ice cream tastes good by itself already.
12. POTATO DUMPLINGS
You might not be able to find potato dumplings in the Christmas Markets but the restaurants around the markets will sell them. I highly recommend ordering a beef or duck entree along with the potato dumplings so you can soak up all those delicious meat drippings!
If you’re in Weimar, go to Scharfe Ecke (Eisfeld 2, 99423 Weimar, Germany). They have the best potato dumplings!
13. WINE ICE CREAM
If you’re in Erfurt, go to Goldhelm Eiskrämer for a scoop (or scoops) of their wine ice cream. It’s SO good. This famous ice cream shop serves only premium chocolate flavors (and wine) because it’s the sister shop to Goldhelm Schokoladen Manufaktur. You also get a piece of truffle with your ice cream if you get the cone.
Krämerbrücke 15, 99084 Erfurt, Germany
14. POTATO PANCAKES
I did see potato pancakes inside the Christmas Markets but we had these at Leuchtenburg Castle. I really loved the potato pancakes – they’re slightly chewy and less doughy like traditional pancakes. Also served with applesauce which I did enjoy.
15. SOUR BEEF
You won’t find full-size dishes like sour beef at the Christmas Markets but I wanted to include this one this list because it’s SO good. Sour beef sounds like the beef is going to be, well, sour but I think it’s the method of marinating the beef. The beef is super tender with a savory savory that’s so cozy with potato dumplings. Be sure to order this dish if you’re in Germany.
16. SPÄTZLE
Spätzle is the famous Germany dish that’s egg noodles that are boiled and then pan-fried in butter. You can add toppings like chopped ham or fried onions.
Price: €3
Photograph by Ready Set Jet Set
17. MULLED WINE
And last but not least, mulled wine (glühwein). You’ll easily drink cups and cups of hot, sweet mulled wine in Germany’s 20-degree winter. The vendors do charge you for the cup so if you don’t want to keep the cup, return it and they’ll refund you. We kept our bean cups in Erfurt!
Price: €6, and then you get €3 if you return the cup
